The present invention relates to a collapsible, butane fueled, miniaturized, incandescent mantle-type gas lantern, which utilizes common disposable or refillable butane cigarette lighters as a removeable "fuel cell". In recent years, much attention has been given to downscaling and lightening of weight of various outdoors products. This attention has spawned several miniaturized lanterns and other specialized products, to serve the needs of the outdoors enthusiast. To this end, designers have developed lantern products which use readily available (proprietary or non-proprietary) fuel to gas the incandescent mantle. In the mountain climbing or backpacking field, lightness of weight is critical, and space available in a backpack is at a premium, so designers have produced several small lanterns to address these needs, particualrly those as now being manufactured by the COLEMAN CO., INC. (the PEAK I); HANK ROBERTS INC's Lantern and Stove Combination; CAMPING GAZ INTERNATIONAL's Lampe GT Lantern, and others, as found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,635, issued to Pierre Sivignon of France, (Now being manufactured as the Lampe GT); in U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,328, issued to Coler S. Hissem of Kansas; in U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,872, issued to Walter Harold Hoenisch of Michigan (assigned to KingSeeley Thermos Co.), and solid-fueled lanterns illuminated by a singular internal candle or other solid fuel suorce, such as is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,365, issued to David Bandel, for his solid fuel lamp.
The present invention is a novel approach to the provision of a miniaturized incandescent mantle-type gas lamp, and is a collapsible, piezoelectric spark ignited, butane fueled, incandescent mantle lantern, which is ultra-compact, and which is fueled with a singular, removeable, common disposable butane cigarette lighter. Despite the various miniature lanterns which have recently been developed, there still exists a need for useful lamp technologies which address the weight, durability, and size demands of the outdoors enthusiast, and which are easily fueled, and are economical to maintain and operate. The present invention fills all the aforesaid needs, as it is similar in size and weight to the standard campers "Candle Lanterns" readily available in sporting goods stores throughout the nation, and provides the operator with several hours worth of light from a single disposable butane cigarette lighter.